Manufacturing 2015: Manufacturers speak with one voice on EU question
MANUFACTURING in Yorkshire is such a diverse audience it can be over-simplistic to treat the businesses within the sector as a homogenous bunch.
But on one issue, the UK’s place within the EU, there is a strong consensus.
A survey by TheBusinessDesk.com and Squire Patton Boggs found 83% of manufacturing businesses want to see the UK remain within the EU, a result that is in line with findings of work by the manufacturers’ organisation, the EEF.
The EEF’s regional director Andy Tuscher, speaking at a round table discussion, said that it would be “economic suicide” to leave the EU, adding that the EEF has a clear mandate from its members to promote that message.
He said: “I think it’s very clear that we want to be a part of Europe although we would like to see an element of reform. Europe remains our biggest export market and part of our success as an exporter is down to the fact that we’re part of this massive economic market.”
Gary Cromack, head of production at Leading Edge, said that as a company that’s looking to begin exporting to Europe to continue its growth, it’s the uncertainty surrounding our EU membership that’s currently causing greatest concern.
“If we did leave the EU, it’s my belief that we would still feel like a part of it anyway. We would simply be without a voice there,” he said.
There was broad agreement with this sentiment and Mr Tuscher added: “Europe is our biggest single export market and if you want to influence what’s happening there, you have to be a part of it to do that.”
Jane Robinson, director of Cutting Technologies, added that while her company doesn’t export “directly”, she is nevertheless “frightened to death” of coming out of Europe.
“I think that many companies don’t understand that even if they don’t export directly, their goods might still be exported further down the line,” she said.
“As a consequence, they might be more affected by leaving the EU than they are aware.”
Karen French, head of manufacturing at Squire Patton Boggs, has heard first-hand on many separate occasions that there’s a consensus of agreement that we need to remain in the EU.But she remains concerned that the referendum will be “unduly rushed into”.
She said: “My impression resolutely is that manufacturers want to remain in Europe. It’s been our largest single trading partner for years.
“As a nation, we’re in limbo at the moment as we wait for the referendum to take place and this is undoubtedly affecting overseas investment flowing into Britain.
“But the situation we find ourselves in currently can be likened to a double-edged sword.
“While there’s consensus that the referendum needs to take place quickly to determine a decisive result, if it happens too swiftly then there’s a real risk that there won’t be opportunity for a proper debate into the issues.
“And that could affect the final outcome adversely from a manufacturer’s perspective.”
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